The Summer Budget

Ana I'd not waste your breath posting finger on those who are not prepared to even listen.

While you and I are on opposite sides of the political fence ideologically, I accept that this government has a mandate from the voters and I am prepared to acknowledge that there are good points within this budget while deploring the effect this will have on some genuinely poor, hard-working families.

The good points in the budget were the ones in the Labour party manifesto.

It's like a b****y cracked record isn't it?

I wonder if you think that anyone who said they had been raped should get benefits for that child Jen. Obviously it would not be possible if you are limiting the number of children it is available for but you would want there to be exceptions for hard cases I imagine. I think the benefits decision maker would be able to be kind and pleasant but surely all they will need to know will have been reported to the police and/or doctor and that is where evidence will come from.

Surely if you had been raped you would get round to the doctors/chemist pronto and get the morning after pill, dilemma solved.

Exactly GG.

Possibly rape victims don't always think logically, Magpie, and may neglect to take that quick solution.

So many cases of rape go unreported anyway.

I have never been raped magpie123 but, as I understand it, rather than a sexual act it is more about a physical attack that is intended to make the aggressor feel powerful. If that is the case to gain power he will do whatever he can in order to drain yours so many people will be left a long way from being able to get "round to the doctors/chemist pronto" but will be feeling mentally and physically destroyed. Add to this they may not agree with the use of the morning after pill but did not ask to be put in a place where they had to make that choice.

I certainly think we need to treat people with care and consideration but still believe the numbers will not be great.

"I accept that this government has a mandate from the voters".

You do, Anya? As far as I'm concerned, 36.9% of the total votes cast at the General Election doesn't constitute a mandate, though it suits this mendacious government to claim that it does.

Just think about the stigma involved. As Anya says, many rape cases do not get reported, usually because nothing happens if they do.

It's like lots of other things, it does not happen to many women, but the incidence of rape has risen over the past few years.
If you already have two children, and have a child after you are raped, are you going to admit to it?
If you do not, you get no child benefit even though you might need the money.

In 2005 Labour won the election with a 35.19% of the total votes cast.

Did you cpmplain about that, anno?

(ignore the 'a')

They haven't got a very good mandate considering they have already backed out of the Evel vote next week.

Changing the subject slightly I'd like to say that for the first time ever, when using the budget calculator I'm very slightly better off. I had 10 years without a pay rise before I retired and DH is self employed and hasn't taken any increase in take home pay for 13 years. Somehow we managed, only had 2 children (all we could afford) never had any tax credits or assistance despite repeated redundancies in the 1980s yet were always worse off after a budget. This time we're not. I suspect there are many more like me. Not smug, not unsympathetic to those less fortunate but just quietly grateful.

Yes, Jane10, no pensioners will lose at all, and self-employed only lose if their profits are less than £15,000.

just a thought regarding kinship care..if a family with two of their own children where to take in one or two of a relations children, in case of crisis ..or death would they be eligible to claim tax credits especially when parental responsibility is given to the carers or a grandparent taking all 3 and having to put in a claim as It is not transferable as far as I am aware

How does your post of 17.59 make sense, durhamjen?

"dilemma solved" (!!!)

Shite me!

I think thjere might be a lot more to it than that. What if the victim is a lifelong Pro-Life supporter?

Yes, Anno I do. They are actually the party voted into power by our flawed voting system, because most of the population of the UK didn't get off their sofas to vote for change when there was the option.

It might not have been the best option, but it was a step in the right direction.

This country has the government it deserves. Perhaps if Labour voters turned out to exercise their franchise in the same numbers as the ruddy Tory voters things might change.

Jane what's this radical idea about only having the children you can afford?

Forgot the

DJ - you say
If you already have two children, and have a child after you are raped, are you going to admit to it?If you do not, you get no child benefit even though you might need the money.

this is not talking about child benefit but child tax credit

Yes sorry anya we waited and saved up until we could afford for me to be off work for a bit then waited a while to see if we could afford another. Ridiculous I know!